2022
We received nearly 700 ideas from more than 500 city employees focused on innovative ways to advance city goals. As of December 2023, thirty of those ideas had been implemented and another 30 are in progress.
The Need
City employees are incredibly smart and creative, but before the challenge, there wasn’t a formal pathway for staff ideas to be heard by city leaders.
The Solution
During the summer of 2022 we hosted our inaugural Innovation Challenge. The challenge asked employees to submit creative and innovative ideas with the goal of advancing the city’s strategic priorities and values. These ideas have created real world impacts for residents and staff.
The Idea: Establish a “mobile library” to provide a library presence at community events.
Update: The library now has an e-bike and trailer (The ExciteTrike) allowing library staff to transport supplies for outdoor programs in parks and elsewhere. It’s also used to transport books that residents can check out and staff can even issue library cards out in the community.
The Idea: Introduce families to camping and the outdoors through regular class offerings.
Update: The Foothills Learning Center hosted a camping class with a cooking component in 2023. The class was full, introducing 18 residents to camping. Moving forward the course will be offered annually with an additional class offering in 2024.
The Idea: Add cameras to compost sites so residents can know if compost is available before leaving their home.
Update:Check out the Compost Cam in action! Since installing the cameras, staff has saved a significant amount of time as residents no longer need to call or email to ask if compost is available.
The Idea: Create an online map that residents can use to see the active planning permits throughout the city.
Update:The Community Development Tracker is online now helping residents understand what developments are happening in the city, where they are in the planning process, and how they can be involved.
The Idea: Install a water bottle filling station at the airport shortly after the security checkpoint, a more convenient location for users.
Update: Installed in 2023, the new fill station saved more than 130,000 water bottles from ending up in the landfill in just its first 6 months.
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Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you.